Refrigerating system



G. HILGER REFRIGERATI'NG 'SYSTEM l Aug.` ll, 1931.

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1 Georg@ 1 www1 ..1 41kg if Aug. l1, 1931. G. HILGER REFRIGERATING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 13, 1927 Inviami@ T H- @CM 96 atented Aug. 11, 1931 UNITED STATES kGEORGE HILeEa, or

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS REFRIGIERATlNG SYSTEM Application mea April 13,

rlhe present invention relates generally to an improved type of ref rigerating system and is more particularly applicable to a spray type refrigerating system adapted for use in relatively large cooling rooms, such as are customarily used in retail meat markets.

It is an objectpof the present invention to provide a new and improved refrigeration system for use in coolers and the like wherein a compact spray refrigeration unit is mounted in the central upper portion of the cooler so as to provide increased overhead storage space therein by making possible the use of the space at either side of the cooling unit which is usually entirely occupied by'such cooling systems; incidentally providing thereby a larger open space for the free circulation of the cooling currents.

Still another object of the invention is to provide auxiliary cooling compartments or chambers in which various temperatures below that in the main room may be obtained, access to said auxiliary chambers being attained through the open spaces provided at either side of the cooling unit.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spray refrigerator system which is capable of maintaining continued cooling action after the spray system has ceased to operate. y i

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and in the accompanying drawings, in which:

5 Figure 1 is a vertical section taken on the line 1-1 .of Fig. 2 of a refrigerating system embodying the features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.-- A l 40 Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the` line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the system with the tops of the cooler and the spray tank removed.

` While I have shown in the drawings and will describe herein the preferred embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereby to the particular form disclosed, but that it is my intention to cover all the modifications and alternative constructions which fall 1927. Serial No. 183,249.

within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the disclosure of the preferred embodiment of my invention, I have shown generally a cooler having walls 10, top 11 and floor 55 l2 each of which are heat insulated in any suitable manner. Disposed within the cooler are various means, such as the hooks 13 and the shelf 14,`for receiving the food stufl's to be kept therein and these 60 means are preferably positioned to permit free circulation of air about the room. If desired a window 15 may be provided in the Walls of the room with an entrance thereto provided by means of a suitable door 16.

In attaining the objects of the invention, a spray refrigeration unit is mounted in the cooling room with an air-current-directing or baille means so disposed with relation to the unit as to assist the artiicial circulation of air `set up thereby and to direct the natural currents of air caused by convection when the system is not in operation. To this end the spray \system and the baille means are mounted in the upper portion of the cooling room extending substantially across the central part ofthe room and providing large spaces of either side for storage purposes, for ready access to the unit and for the unrestricted passage of air.

The spray refrigeration' unit, in the present instance, comprises a closed Water-tight tank having a top 1f?, bottom 18, sides 19, and ends 20 suitably suspended from the top of the cooling room as by means of the bolts 85 21. Preferably the tank is relatively narrow and deep to provi e the maximum practical width of space between the tank and the walls of the cooler without "lessening the cooling power of the unit. Circulation of air through the tank is possible by means of passages which permit the ingress and egress of air to and from the tank, such as the inlet opening 22 in the upper portion of one end 95 of the tank and the outlet ports 23 positioned in the upper portions of the sides of the tank adjacent the opposite end. As shown in Fig.

2, the outlet ports 2,3 preferably have a tubular @lect 24 Secure@ there@ which duct is we turned at the end to direct the air from the tank downwardly of the room.

The tank is adapted to hold a substantially large quantity of liquid such as brine or other Suitable cooling fluid, with a relatively narrow spraying space provided between the surface ot the liquid and the top 17 of the tank. ln the present instance the cooling of the liquid in the tank is effected by a coiled pipe which has an inlet 26 and an outlet 27 in or adjacent the `air inlet opening 22. The pipe 25 is connected to an outside source of rei'rigerating agent (not shown) such as the ordinary compression type unit employing ammonia or similar refrigerant. Preferably the inlet side of the coiled pipe 25 enters the tank in the spraying space above the surface of the cooling liquid and has one or more coils 25 disposed in said space near the outlet ports The remaining coils of the pipe are positioned below the surface of the liquid and extend throughout substantially the entire lower portion of the tank.

ylhc spraying means, by which the air is brought into intimate contact with the cooling liquid, comprises one or more spray nozzles 2S positioned in the spraying space above the surface of the liquid and supplied with cooled liquid from the tank under pressure byl a suitable power driven pump 29. ln this instance the pipe line 29 conveying the liquid from the tank to the nozzle 28 is connected to a tank outlet 30 which is located near the end ot' the tank from which the air is expelled. The spray nozzles 28 are mounted to direct a stream of atomized Cooling liquid lengthwise of the spraying space from a point near the inlet. opening in the tank. Thus a slow continuous circulation of air is induced which draws the air into the tank through the inlet port 22 over the surface of the cooling liquid in the tank, through a cold zone about the exposed refrigerating coil 25, and out through and downwardly from the outlet ports 23.

Most of the cooling liquid introduced and intimately mixed with the air by the nozzles will at ence fall into the liquid in the. tank to be cooled and used again. It will be noted that the coil 25a is spaced a substantial distance from the nozzles so as to allow the major portion of the sprayed liquid to drop out before it reaches said coil. Moreover, since the expcsed coil of the retrigerating pipe is cooler than the body of the liquid, a cold zone is set up thereabout which'further reduces the temperatureof the air current set up by the spray and effects a further precipitation of the mechanically carried moisture. Thus the air which is finally expelled into the cooling room will carry very little water in eX- cess of its saturation point.

A11 auxiliary freezing chamber is provided in the tank and is 'arranged to be cooled by direct-contact with ,the cooling liquid therein. The chamber herein shown is for the purpose of providing ice for other purposes but obviously could be adapted for use, if desired. in freezing any food product or the like. As may be seen in Fig. l, the coils 25 while extending substantially throughout the interior of the tank. stop short of the outlet end thereof. The unused space thus provided within the tank is substantially filled by a water-tight rectangular shell 3l extending through the tank from one side to the other. and open at each end through the walls of the tank. The shell is of such height as to permit its being entirely submerged in the cooling liquid in the tank. A series of shelf brackets within the shell support a number of slidingr trays 32 which are adapted to be inserted from both sides of the tank and to contain the water, food products or the like to be frozen. The use of such a chamber is possible since the substantially large spaces at either side of the spray unit permit of ready access to the chamber openingsfin the skies of the tank.

The air-current-directing or battle element which serves to produce a natural movement of the air currents when the spray unit is not in operation comprises, in the present embodiment, a trough shaped shell having two sides 33' and a bottom 34 adapted to underlie and to extend upwardly of each side oi the spray tank. Preferably the bafiie walls extend upwardly to a point above the downwa-rdlv directed discharge opening of the duct 2t. so that discharged air will not be diverted into the space between the tank and the bathe. The bafile may be suitably suspended from the top 11 of the cooling room as by means of brackets 35 and, as may be seen in Fig. 2, is spaced from the sides `and bottom of the tank to provide substantial air circulating spaces therebetween.

To provide better air circulation the baffie does not extend the full length of the tank but stops short at one end, preferably the outlet end of the tank, as seen at 36. A catch tray or pan 37 having a drain 38 to the eX- terior of the cooling room underlies the free end of the bafiie to remove any water which may be collected thereby.

An auxiliary chilling compartment adapted to cool food stuff or the like below the temperature of the cooling room yet above is held at a suitable temperature by means of the refrigerating coils 25. The nozzles 28 discharge spray through the spraying space above the liquid inducing and setting up a slow continuous current of air which passes out of the tank through the outlet ducts 23 and =is directed downwardly of the cooling room. The air. during its induced progress through the room becomes Warmer and aids the circulation by naturally rising tothe upper part of the room. Where it is drawn toward the inlet opening Q2 of the tank. Thus a continuing circulation of air is induced, the baille serving to prevent the cold air surrounding the tank Jfrom settling to the floor of the room at any point except immediately adjacent the tank outlet. whereby interrup-Y tion to the air current-,stream and cross currents are substantially eliminated.

It is contemplated in this arrangement that at various times. it is desirable to shut ott the spray nozzles for sustained periods of time. Such a periodic operation ofthe spray unit may be controlled by any suitable ther# mostatic device. In such a system it is preferable that the spray unit be idle as long as possible before theV system begins operation again. Thus if means is provided to prolong the periods between operations of the spray unit. a beneficial result has been obtained.

BV 'mv construction, a. refrigerating system has been provided. capable of generating a reserve supply of refrigeration which Will cause the cooled air currents to flow through the room in substantially the same mannerY as during the operation of the nozzle. This feature is accomplished in the following manner. The' temperature in the refrigerating coils 25 is maintained at a point sufficient to congeal the cooling liquidto slush ice. Since the spray tank, lwhich is in effect an ice tank when the spray unit is inoperative, is mounted at the top of the cooling room, the rising warm air will come in contact with and be cooled by the'cold surfaces of the tank, whence it Will descend to the vlower part of the room. As has been pointed out the Jrising Warm air must pass about the bathe before contacting the tank and after it has been cooled will be directed thereby to the open end 36 of the battle before it is allowed to de-` scend. In this manner a secondary movement of cooling currents is setpp in the cooling room While the spray .is idle, which currents descend from the unit in the. same manner as do the induced currents and then flow upwardly along the walls of the cooler. Thus the system may be shut off for a considerable period ot time Without` any appreciabe rise in temperature in the room.

From the foregoing disclosure it- Will be apparent that I have provided a. spray refrigeration system in which a heretofore unused part of the cooler has been turned into an increasedA area of storage space in the upper portion of the cooler. vantage resides in the simple arrangement of element-s which are adapted mostefficiently to divert and direct the air currents set up by a spray refrigeration unit and that I have further provided a construct-ion which will cause the air currents to continue the flow Within the room after the spray refrigeration unit has ceased operation. Moreover, I have provided a simple arrangement in which three different temperatures, are provided to meet the differentrefrigerating requirements, namely, freezing, chilling and coolinU.

I claim as my invention:

1. A refrigeration system comprising. in combination. a room to be cooled. a. tank mounted in the upper portion thereof, a spray refrigerating unit positioned Within said tank and adapted to draw air in at one end and to discharge cooled a-ir at the other end, a current directing member embracing and spaced from the bottom and two sides of said ltank arranged to direct rising air toward the inlet to said tank, said member being open at the end nearest the outlet side of the tank to permit cooled air to flow therefrom.

i2. A refrigeration system having, in combnation with a room to befcooled. an enclosed spray refrigerating unit mounted in the upper portion of said room, said unit having an inlet through which Warm air is drawn to be cooled and an outlet through which cooled air is discharged, and a bafHe member for directing air currents along said spray unit. said bathe member underlying and enibracing the sides of saidunitand having that portion thereof underlying said outlet opening removed to facilitate the dow of cold air from said baille member.

3. A spray refrigeration system having, in

combination with a cooling room. a closed f for cooling said liquid. a spray nozzle positioned abotre said coil for spraying said liquid through said tank whereby-to cool the air and generate air currents, a. freezing casing posit-ioned in said liquid and accessible from the exterior of said casing, a baille about said' spray tank arranged to permit cooled air to flow downwardly therefrom and to direct Warmer air toward the inlet opening of said tank, and a. chilling chamber mounted between said baie and said tank and accessible to the interior thereolc through said battle.

4. A refrigeration svstem of the type described having. in combination. a room to be cooled, and a. spray typel refrigerating unit mounted to extend across the upper portion of said room, said unit comprising a closed tank having an air inlet at one end and an air outlet at the other, conducting means on said outlet to dlrect the cooled air from said An added adl unit downwardly of said groom, and an air current directing baflle underlying the lower ortion of said tank and extending upwardly of the sides thereof to a point above that at which the air issues from said conducting means.

'5. A spray refrigeration system having, in combination, a cooling room, a closed spray tank mounted in the upper portion of said room having an air inlet and outlet therefor and adapted to contain cooling liquid, said tank including a refrigerating coil for cooling said liquid and a spray nozzle connected with a source of cooling medium under pressure and positioned above said coil for spraying said liquid through said tank whereby to cool the air and generate air currents, a baille spaced from said spray tank arranged to permit cold air to flow downwardly therefrom, and an auxiliary chamber positioned between said baille and said tank and accessible in a horizontal direction to the interior thereof through said baille. y

6. A spray refrigeration system having, in combination, a cooling room, a spray tank mounted in the upper portion of said room having an air inlet and outlet therefor and adapted to contain cooling liquid to a substantial depth therein, a refrigerating coil in said tank for cooling the liquid, a spray nozzle positioned above said coil for spraying liquid through said tank above the normal level of liquid therein whereby to cool the air and generate air currents. a pump connected to one end of said tank below the liquid level and arranged to withdraw liquid from said tank and to force said liquid `to said nozzle under pressure, and a freezing chamber mounted in said tank so as to be positioned in the liquid in said tank adjacent said pumpsupply connection, said chamber opening in a hqizontal direction through the side of said tan In testimony whereof, l have hereunto af fixed my signature.

GEORGE HILGER. 

